The Dark Warning

Elysiel awoke with a sense of unease, a restlessness in her soul that she couldn't quite explain. The previous night with Seraphis had been intense—not only in terms of intimacy, but something deeper. She felt the weight of darkness growing inside her, an inseparable part of the power she now shared with him.

As she rose, Seraphis was already waiting for her. He observed her with a dangerous calm, his red eyes glowing faintly in the soft morning light. There was a tension in the air that Elysiel couldn't ignore, something vibrating in the shadows surrounding them.

— We need to talk. — Seraphis said, his voice low and carrying an unusual urgency.

Elysiel frowned, sensing the gravity of the moment. She knew something was wrong. The power she and Seraphis shared was beginning to weigh on her in ways she could no longer ignore, and now, as she looked at him, she saw the same concern mirrored in his face.

— What happened? — she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Seraphis crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving hers.

— Your council is plotting against you. They are conspiring to break the pact, seeking alliances with my enemies in the underworld. Traitors, all of them. And they're not alone. — He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. — If you don't act now, your kingdom will soon fall.

Elysiel's heart raced. She had sensed distrust among her counselors, but betrayal? An alliance with the rebels of the underworld? The thought stunned her. She recalled the worried expressions of Lirian and Lynore, the discomfort in their words during recent meetings. But imagining them involved in a direct plot against her… it was too much.

— That can't be true. — she whispered, trying to process the information. — Lirian… Lynore… they would never do something like this. They want what's best for Elandor, just as I do.

Seraphis laughed, but there was no humor in his tone. It was a cold, cutting laugh that made Elysiel shudder.

— What they want is to see you destroyed. They fear the power that now resides within you, the power we share. — He took another step, now mere inches away, his presence both imposing and suffocating. — They think they're saving you, but they're condemning you.

A knot formed in Elysiel's stomach. The shadow of doubt that had hovered over her since the beginning of the pact now seemed to materialize before her eyes. The darkness she shared with Seraphis had changed her, and it was driving away the very people who had once trusted her.

— If I act against the council now… — she began, her voice uncertain. — It will only confirm what they fear. That I've been consumed by your power. That I've become something they can no longer follow.

Seraphis observed her in silence for a moment, his red eyes burning with a mixture of frustration and something that almost seemed like… affection? He knew that Elysiel's internal struggle had reached its peak, and he needed to guide her toward the right decision—the decision that would benefit him.

— You are on a path of no return, Elysiel. — he said softly, but firmly. — The power we share cannot be ignored, and your counselors know that. They see it as a threat, something to be destroyed. But the truth is, you've become more than you ever could have been alone. Elandor now depends on this power, and if you hesitate, everything will be destroyed.

Elysiel looked at Seraphis, the weight of his words settling on her like a heavy stone. There was truth in what he said. Since the pact, Elandor had grown stronger, more protected. But at what cost? The doubt in her heart intensified with every passing second, but now, she knew she couldn't hesitate. The kingdom was on the brink of crisis, and she had to act.

— What do you suggest? — she asked, her voice now carrying a newfound determination.

Seraphis smiled faintly, pleased by the change in her eyes.

— You need to take control. Show strength. Make the council understand that you are not a weak ruler. Show them that without you—without us—this kingdom will fall into the hands of the shadows. They must see that resisting you is resisting Elandor's salvation. And anyone who dares to rebel… must be treated as a direct threat.

Elysiel nodded slowly, feeling the darkness within her stir, responding to the intensity of Seraphis. The connection between them was stronger than ever, and at that moment, she realized she was about to cross a line. A line that could never be undone.

But before she could respond, a denser shadow began to form in the center of the room. It was as if the darkness itself was condensing, taking shape. Seraphis immediately became alert, his eyes glowing with intensity.

A demonic messenger emerged from the shadows, his frail and skeletal figure trembling under the weight of the message he carried.

— Master… Queen… — he hissed, his voice weak but filled with urgency. — There is something you must know… the rebels in the underworld are on the move. An attack is being planned… against the queen.

A chill ran down Elysiel's spine. An attack? She knew the underworld was restless, but the idea that they were turning directly against her was a threat she hadn't anticipated so soon. She looked to Seraphis, hoping he had an answer, but for the first time, she saw something resembling worry in his eyes.

— They will come for you. — the messenger continued, struggling to speak. — They want to destroy the bond you both share… they believe that by destroying you, they can weaken him.

Seraphis was silent for a moment, absorbing the information. The power he and Elysiel shared was deeply intertwined, and he knew that the rebels in the underworld believed that by killing her, they could destabilize him. But they were underestimating the bond that had formed. Elysiel was no longer a mere fairy—she was the key to something far greater.

— Let them come. — Seraphis finally said, his voice now filled with cold determination. — They have no idea what they're dealing with.

Elysiel, however, knew that the situation was more complicated. The council was already against her, and now the rebels from the underworld were moving as well. The pressure on her was growing, and for the first time, she felt that the power she shared with Seraphis, immense as it was, might be putting everything at risk.

— They're all against me. — she said, her voice tinged with a fear she would rather not admit.

Seraphis stepped closer, his fingers gently touching her face.

— Not all of them. — he murmured, his red eyes fixed on hers. — I'm with you. I will always be with you. 

Elysiel looked at him, knowing that the moment of decision was approaching. She could no longer ignore the changes taking place, both within Elandor and within herself. The darkness was growing, and she had to decide how she would face it—whether she would fight against it or fully embrace the power that Seraphis offered her.